Big Thicket Association Events

... as shared by Big Thicket National Preserve, National Park Service
Big Thicket National Preserve
Hunting Permit Registration
Opens September 1, 2017
KOUNTZE, Texas, July 31, 2017 - Big Thicket National Preserve Superintendent Wayne Prokopetz announced today that the preserve will start issuing this seasons free hunting permits on Friday, September 1, 2017. Available 2017/2018 permits ill be issued until February 28, 2016.
Permits will be issued at the preserve visitor center from 9 am until 5 pm daiily. The visitor center is located 8 miles north of Kountze at the intersection of US 69 and FM 420 at 61002 FM 420. Big Thicket hunting permits allow hunters to take white-tailed deer, squirrel, rabbit, feral hog, and waterfowl, except those for the new Lake Bayou Hunting Unit, which is a waterfowl-only area. The preserve observes the state of Texas hunting seasons from October 1, 2017, until January 1, 2018. Additional feral hogs may be taken during the extended hog-only season, which runs from January 2, 2018 until February 28, 2018. Waterfowl hunting at Lake Bayou will also remain open until February 28, 2018.
Everyone who hunts in Big Thicket National Preserve must have a Big Thicket hunting permit.
You must show your current Texas Hunting License to obtain a Big Thicket hunting permit.
All hunters must apply in person and may hunt in only one unit. Starting in the 2016/2017 season, parents or guardians will no longer be able to get permits for their children. All hunters must be present to get a permit.
Be advised that hunters who failed to return their harvest cards for the 2016/2017 season will not be eligible to hunt in Big Thicket National Preserve during the 2017/2018 hunting season. The deadline for returning hunter harvest cards after the 2017/2018 season will be April 1, 2018. There will be no grace period.
The number of permits issued for each hunting unit varies based on the size of the unit an wildlife management goals for that unit. The number of permits issued per unit has not changed from last season, except for the addition of the Lake Bayou Hunting Unit, near Beaumont, Texas. The following numbers of permits, by hunting unit, are available:
Beaumont Unit - 200
Beech Creek Unit - 150
Big Sandy Creek Unit - 400
Jack Gore Baygall Unit - 400
Lance Rosier Unit - 900
Neches Bottom Unit - 150
Lake Bayou Unit - 50
Big Thicket National Preserve is located in southeast Texas, near the city Beaumont and 75 miles northeast of Houston. The preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 113,000 acres. The Big Thicket, often referred to as a "biological crossroads," is a transition zone between four distinct vegetation types - the moist eastern hardwood forest, the southwestern desert, the southeastern swamp, and the central prairies. Species from all of these different vegetation types come together in the thicket, exhibiting a variety of vegetation and wildlife that has received national interest.
For general information about Big Thicket National Preserve, visit www.nps.gov/bith or call the preserve visitor center at 409-951-6700. Visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigThicketNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/BigThicketNPS, and Instagram www.instagram.com/BigThicketNPS.
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The Big Thicket National Preserve Visitor Center has partnered with Western National Parks Association to establish a Little Free Library in the parking lot of the park visitor center.
What is The Little Free Library movement? It strives to make free books available to everyone throughout every community. It is a nonprofit organization that inspires a love of reading, builds community, and sparks creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges around the world. Everyone is encouraged to take a book and read at their leisure. "We hope that this free book exchange will encourage visitors to use to park in new ways. There are many river banks, picnic areas, and other peaceful places around the park for everyone to use. Grab a book and discover new things in your national park," stated Big Thicket National Preserve Superintendent Wayne Prokopetz.
More information on Little Free Libraries ... Millions of books are exchanged each year to readers of all ages and backgrounds. In 2009 McGill-Franzen & Allington's research indicates that when children have access to books, especially at home increases reading achievement. But according to the U.S. Departmentt of Education, up to 61 percent of low-income families do not have any books for their kids at home. Visit the website of Little Free Library for more information.
Big Thicket National Preserve Visitor Center
6102 FM 420 Road
Kountze, Texas
409-951-6700
www.nps.gov/bith
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigThicketNPS
Twitter: www.twitter.com/BigThicketNPS
Instagram: wwwinstagram.com/BigThicketNPS

Big Thicket National Preserve Centennial Volunteer Program
"This is a great opportunity for community members to help care for their national preserve," stated Big Thicket National Preserve Superintendent Wayne Prokopetz.
Each year over 110,000 visitors explore the trails and day-use areas throughout the Big Thicket. In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the creation of the National Park Service, the staff at Big Thicket National Preserve is inviting individuals and community groups to assist in a year-long stewardship effort to take pride in and help maintain certain areas of the preserve by adopting trails, day-use areas, and other access points During this year, they will be asked to visit their adopted site a few times and complete some basic trash clean-up and minor maintenance tasks.
During this centennial year, Bit Thicket National Preserve will be encouraging our neighbors and visitors to explore, support, and connect with the preserve by participating in a numer of special centennial programs, from a photo contest to planting trees. Learn more about how you can get involved in this year-long celebration at NPS.gov.
For more information about adopting sites in the preserve, please visit our website or contact Jeremy Williams at 409-951-6703.
Big Thicket National Preserve
National Park Service
U.S. Department of Interior
6044 FM 420
Kountze, Texas 77625
409-951-6700 - Visitor Information
409-951-6800 - Headquarters Office
www.nps.gov/bith
@BigThicketNPS (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram)

Share Your Thicket – Centennial Photo Contest
As part of the National Park Service’s Centennial celebration, Big Ticket National Preserve invites visitors to explore the preserve and share their photos in a year-long photo contest starting August 2015. Submit photos via Instagram for entry into the contest using the hashtag #BigTicketPhotoContest.
Monthly winners will be chosen in three categories and displayed in our park visitor center. An overall winner will be chosen in the fall of 2016 and displayed in the visitor center for one year. Each month photos of visitors exploring the preserve and images that capture its beauty will be highlighted. Winners will be chosen monthly by a panel of Big Ticket National Preserve staf and volunteers. All ages are welcomed and encouraged to have fun while photographing the preserve.
Additional information about this photo contest and how to participate can be found on the preserve website at www.nps.gov/bith.
During this centennial year, Big Ticket National Preserve will be encouraging our neighbors and visitors to explore, support, and connect with the preserve by participating in a number of special centennial programs. Learn more about how you can get involved in this year-long celebration on our website.
The National Park Service will celebrate its centennial in 2016 and is using this opportunity to invite a new generation of Americans, and those who already know and love the parks, to discover what national parks and other public lands mean to them through the Find Your Park campaign. To learn more or get involved, visit FindYourPark.com.

Shared by Big Thicket Association
Image by Big Thicket Association
Summer Season for Eco-History Tours on the Neches River
Neches River Adventures is accepting reservations for public tours and private charters aboard the Ivory Bill. The boat operates on the open river and navigates into the cypress-lined backwater channels of the Big Thicket National Preserve. This tour gives our passengers an opportunity to view wildlife and see a part of the Big Thicket that few get to appreciate.
The public tours are scheduled for each Saturday morning at 10am to 12noon. The tour leaves from Riverfront Park behind City Hall in downtown Beaumont. The tours include a Coast Guard certified captain, one deckhand, and one BTA facilitator. The Ivory Bill is a 45 foot long, Coast Guard approved pontoon boat. The touring boat’s amenities include a covered open air deck, comfortable perimeter seating, an on-board restroom, and is fully accessible.
Rates for the public tours are very “family friendly”. Prices per ticket are as follows: $15 for adults and $10 for seniors & children.
Private charters can be booked any day of the week and almost any time of day. The Ivory Bill is a unique setting for your next social gathering or business meeting. Morning tours and sunset tours are very popular. Proceeds from all tours benefit the Big Thicket Association’s environmental education classes.
Jan Ruppel, Big Thicket Association President, says, “The BTA works hard to promote conservation of our area’s natural resources and its rich cultural history. We want to expand public awareness of the Big Thicket Region and the Neches River by offering these eco-tours and free outdoor environmental education programs to area schools”.
For more information about the program and eco-tours, please go to www.nechesriveradventures.org or call (409) 651-5326 for tour information and reservations.
“More than just a boat ride…an adventure for all ages!”
Submitted by: Bruce Walker, Executive Director Big Thicket Association This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
409-782-3486 cell

International Migratory Bird Day at Big Thicket National Preserve
Photo: courtesy of Big Thick National Preserve
If you missed the celebration this year, the International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) is celebrated on the second Saturday of May every year.
As shared by the Big Thicket National Preserve and how they celebrated IMBD.
KOUNTZE, Texas, May 12, 2016– Big Thicket National Preserve invites the public to join us in celebrating birds on May 14, International Migratory Bird Day (IMBD) 2016. The preserve joins more than 700 other sites throughout North, Central, and South America who are promoting festivals, educational programs, and conservation activities related to birds.
Staff will be offering two guided bird walks in Big Thicket National Preserve on May 14, on the Sundew Trail and the Pitcher Plant Trail. Both walks begin at 8 am. Participants can meet at either trailhead, or meet at the visitor center at 7:30 am and convoy to each trailhead. Everyone is encouraged to bring water, binoculars, and insect repellent.
There will also be birding-themed games and activities for kids at the visitor center, beginning at 10 am. Kids should be prepared for some outdoor activities, including a short bird walk.
For more information on these events, please call the visitor center at 409-951-6700. Staff can also recommend good birdwatching areas nearby for those who wish to go birdwatching on their own. Visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigThicketNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/BigThicketNPS, and Instagram www.instagram.com/BigThicketNPS.
While in reality every day is bird day, IMBD is traditionally celebrated in the U.S. and Canada on the second Saturday in May. Ultimately, the goals of IMBD are to connect people to nature through birds and to help people understand the importance of conserving birds and bird habitat.
Now in its 26th year, IMBD is coordinated by Environment for the Americas, which provides bilingual educational materials and information about birds and bird conservation throughout the Americas. Their programs inspire children and adults to get outdoors, learn about birds, and take part in their conservation. To learn more about migratory bird habitats, download IMBD educational and promotional materials in Spanish and English, and search for activities planned in your area, visit http://www.migratorybirdday.org/.
Through many events held throughout the Americas, IMBD celebrations explore how birds have inspired some of the most significant environmental conservation actions. For generations, migratory birds have connected communities across continents, providing unique opportunities for international collaboration and inspiring people to improve conditions for birds, all wildlife, and for ourselves.
National and international cooperation is an essential step toward safeguarding the world’s migratory birds, whose long-distance flights often cross political borders, exposing them to widely varying conservation philosophies and laws. “This year’s International Migratory Bird Day is a celebration of the capacity of individuals to compel world leaders to prioritize migratory bird conservation,” says Dr. Susan Bonfield, Executive Director of Environment for the Americas. “Collaboration and a commitment to actions that protect migratory birds along their entire flyways, and throughout their lifecycles, are crucial to safeguarding migratory populations.”
The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, enacted in 1916, has protected nearly all migratory bird species in the U.S. and Canada for the last century. By working together towards this common cause, we hope to initiate another century of bird conservation.
www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service: More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 409 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov.
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Big Thicket National Preserve
National Park Service
U.S. Department of Interior
6044 FM 420
Kountze, Texas 77625
409-951-6700 - Visitor Information
409-951-6800 - Headquarters Office
www.nps.gov/bith
@BigThicketNPS (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram)

Big Thicket National Preserve Participates in Operation Dry Water
KOUNTZE, Texas, March 16, 2017– During the weekend of June 30 thru July 2, 2017 Visitor and Resource Protection (VRP) staff at Big Thicket National Preserve will be partnering with the US Coast Guard out of Station Sabine Pass, to engage in Operation Dry Water (ODW), a nationwide law enforcement effort that targets boating under the influence awareness and enforcement. The mission of ODW is to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents and fatalities through increased recreational boater awareness and by fostering a stronger and more visible deterrent to alcohol use on the water.

Sail aboard the "Ivory Bill" to learn about the unique ecosystems along the Neches River with their dense bottomland forests of hardwoods and pine trees. The area is home to more than 200 tree species, 47 mammals, 300 birds and many reptiles and amphibians.
Date: Present to November 21, 2015
Tine: Saturday tours, 10 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Fee: $15.00 per person, $10.00 children 12 and under, $10.00 Seniors (65+ years), Free Children 3 and under
Contact: 409-651-5326 for reservations
Venue: Neches River
Website: http://www.nechesriveradventures.org/
The Public and Private Tours Kathryn and Bruce Walker have developed have made us one of the most sought afer events for those coming to Beaumont.

Big Thicket Day on the Neches River, a fall day experience exploring booths with children's hands-on activities, listening to music or hitching a ride on the "Ivory Bill" wandering down the Neches River. It is commemorating 51 years of the Big Thicket National Preserve.
The Big Thicket Association will be hosting two guest speakers, BTNP newly appointed Superintendent, Wayne
Prokopetz, and Jim Blackburn, a Houston environmental lawyer and Rice faculty scholar. Meeting starts at 9:00 a.m.
Date: October 10, 2015
Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. Annual Meeting, Big Thicket Day starts at 11:30 a.m.
Fee: Free parking and entry into the park with $5 for Ivory Bill rides, ages three years and under is free
Contact:
Venue: Beaumont Country Club for annual meeting and Big Thicket Day, Collier's Ferry Park on the Neches River adjacent to the country club
Website: http://www.bigthicket.org

shared by Big Thicket Association and image courtesy of Big Thicket Association
Neches River Rally set for Saturday, September 10th
Early Bird Discounts for Neches River Rally Registration ends August 22nd Register now and save. All participants must Pre-register by September 7th
The Big Thicket Association (BTA) will host the 3rd Annual Neches River Rally Saturday, September 10th at the LNVA Saltwater Barrier boat launch on Bigner Road in Beaumont, Texas. Come enjoy this very unique paddling experience and help us celebrate the National Parks Centennial in the Big Thicket National Preserve.
Entry fees start at $35 for single paddlers and include lunch, official event T-shirt, goodies and local entertainment. The launch site opens at 7:30am for the 8:00am launch. There are five launch times from which to choose.
This canoe and kayak rally takes paddlers on one of the most popular paddling trails in Southeast Texas. The “Cooks Lake to Scatterman” paddling trail is designated by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department as an Official Texas Paddling Trail. It follows Pine Island Bayou, Cooks Lake, Scatterman Lake, and the Neches River. The trail features the famous Madonna Tree with a paddle through a cypress-tupelo-fern forest in the Big Thicket National Preserve.
This unique looped style trail eliminates shuttling issues since there is only one access point in and out of the river. Both private and rental canoes and kayaks are allowed. However rental pre-arrangements with outfitters must be made prior to event date.
The Neches River Rally is a family friendly event. Entry fees and sponsorships help support the Big Thicket Association’s mission of promoting conservation, environmental education classes, and scientific research in the Big Thicket National Preserve. The BTA appreciates the generous support of its partners: Lower Neches Valley Authority (LNVA), Port of Beaumont, TOTAL, WestRock, JK Subaru, American Valve & Hydrant, Bernsen Law Firm, Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau, and members of Big Thicket Association.
For more information or to register for the Neches River Rally, log-on to www.bigthicket.org, or call the Neches River Rally office at 409-790-5399. Follow us on Facebook at Neches River Rally.
Bruce Walker, Executive Director
Big Thicket Association
P.O. Box 198
Saratoga, TX 77585
409-782-3486 cell

Shared by Big Thicket Association and images courtesy of Big Thicket Association
Big Thicket Launches Second Year of Every Kid in a Park Pass
Receives Field Trip Grant from the National Park Foundation
Kountze, Texas - Big Thicket National Preserve encourages all fourth graders to visit the park this year as part of the Every Kid in a Park program. The program gives fourth grade students, and those accompanying them, free access to more than 2,000 federally managed lands and waters. Visit www.EveryKidinaPark.gov to download the pass and obtain more information.
Big Thicket National Preserve Superintendent Wayne Prokopetz said, “There’s so much to discover at Big Thicket, and we’re excited to welcome fourth graders and their families again this year. We hope that our young visitors learn and have fun in the great outdoors and develop a lifelong connection to our nation’s land, water and wildlife.”
Big Thicket National Preserve is located in southeast Texas, near the city Beaumont , 75 miles northeast of Houston. The preserve consists of nine land units and six water corridors encompassing more than 112,000 acres. The Big Thicket, often referred to as a “biological crossroads,” is a transition zone between four distinct vegetation types – the moist eastern hardwood forest, the southwestern desert, the southeastern swamp, and the central prairies. Species from all of these different vegetation types come together in the thicket, exhibiting a variety of vegetation and wildlife that has received national interest.
Big Thicket National Preserve was selected to receive a 2016 field trip grant from the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, to support the Every Kid in a Park program. The grant is part of the Foundation’s Open OutDoors for Kids program. Conservation and Education groups from across the Houston area, working with Big Thicket National Preserve, will use this grant to provide FREE field trip opportunities to over 16,000 fourth grade students during the 2016-2017 academic school year.
The Every Kid in a Park pass – which features a new design for this year’s students – is valid for a full calendar year starting September 1. The pass grants free entry for fourth graders and up to three accompanying adults (or an entire car for drive-in parks) to most federally managed lands and waters, including national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and marine sanctuaries.
The newly expanded Every Kid in a Park website has links to educational activities, trip planning, field trip options, the downloadable pass, and additional information in both English and Spanish. After completing a fun, educational activity, the child can download and print a pass. The paper pass can be traded for a more durable pass at participating federal sites nationwide.
Every Kid in a Park is part of President Obama’s commitment to protect our nation’s unique outdoor spaces and ensure that every American has the opportunity to visit and enjoy them. The program, now entering its second year, is a call to action for children to experience America’s spectacular outdoors, rich history and culture.
Every Kid in a Park is a crucial component of a multi-pronged approach to inspire the next generation to discover all that our nation’s public lands and waters have to offer, including opportunities to be active, spend time with friends and family, and serve as living classrooms to build critical skills.
The Every Kid in a Park program is an Administration-wide effort between the Department of the Interior, the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Army, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The program continues each year with the then-current group of fourth graders. After 12 years, every school-age child in America will have had an opportunity to visit their public land and waters for free, inspiring the next generation to be stewards of our nation’s shared natural and cultural heritage.
For more information, please visit www.everykidinapark.gov and follow the program on Twitter @everykidinapark, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For additional information about Big Thicket National Preserve, visit www.nps.gov/bith or call the preserve visitor center at 409-951-6700. Visit us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @BigThicketNPS
Big Thicket National PreserveNational Park ServiceU.S. Department of Interior
6044 FM 420Kountze, Texas 77625409-951-6700 - Visitor Information409-951-6800 - Headquarters Officewww.nps.gov/bith@BigThicketNPS (Facebook, Twitter & Instagram)
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